Rebels bomb Nepal school

KATHMANDU – Maoist rebels stormed an empty school on the outskirts of the Nepali capital at dawn yesterday and set off two bombs, police said, in an attack apparently aimed at enforcing their call for a school shutdown.

Two dozen rebels stormed the school posing as soldiers, overpowered the guards at gunpoint and set off the bombs in a computer classroom and on a school bus, police and guards said. There were no injuries but dozens of computers were destroyed.The roof of the bus was blown off, and three other buses were also badly damaged.”It was a big blast and the ground started shaking.We were stunned,” said school guard Man Bahadur Rai, who was sleeping in the staff quarters when the first bomb went off.Most of Nepal’s schools have been empty this week after the student wing of the Maoist rebel movement called an indefinite strike to press for a reduction in fees charged by private schools.The All Nepal National Free Students’ Union (Revolutionary) is also pressing the government to stop labelling them a “terrorist” organisation.The Maoists are fighting to topple the constitutional monarchy and to establish a communist republic in the desperately poor Himalayan nation.They hold sway in vast swathes of the countryside and their insurgency has cost around 10 000 lives since 1996.The school shutdown is the latest in a series of strikes aimed at pressing their demands.- Nampa-ReutersThere were no injuries but dozens of computers were destroyed.The roof of the bus was blown off, and three other buses were also badly damaged.”It was a big blast and the ground started shaking.We were stunned,” said school guard Man Bahadur Rai, who was sleeping in the staff quarters when the first bomb went off.Most of Nepal’s schools have been empty this week after the student wing of the Maoist rebel movement called an indefinite strike to press for a reduction in fees charged by private schools.The All Nepal National Free Students’ Union (Revolutionary) is also pressing the government to stop labelling them a “terrorist” organisation.The Maoists are fighting to topple the constitutional monarchy and to establish a communist republic in the desperately poor Himalayan nation.They hold sway in vast swathes of the countryside and their insurgency has cost around 10 000 lives since 1996.The school shutdown is the latest in a series of strikes aimed at pressing their demands.- Nampa-Reuters